A Global Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Transport and other Linear Infrastructure

The current Global Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Transport and other Linear Infrastructure primarily sets up the objectives and principles for governments and organizations for mainstreaming biodiversity and ecological connectivity on transport infrastructure development. Additionally, it addresses the overall framework of stakeholders who must be engaged as key players in: • launching proactive policies, • establishing appropriate legal frameworks, • supporting better planning, • promoting multi-sector cooperation, and • encouraging innovative science-based solutions. We consider this as a living document as future versions may integrate additional elements with regards to governance, policy, and financing, in the attempt to develop a common comprehensive language and grounds for cooperation. This “Global Strategy” has been developed by an international working group coordinated by IENE and supported by an international coalition formed from the international conferences on transport and ecology and conservation organisations as IENE, ICOET, ANET, ACLIE, WWF and IUCN. The working group is drawn from global experts in transport and ecology and aims to work towards finding a ‘win-win’ solution for securing mainstreaming biodiversity and ecological connectivity and avoiding, mitigating, or compensating ecosystems’ fragmentation during transport infrastructure development or adaptation. This Strategy builds upon five years of development of the guidelines “International Guidance for Ecologically - Friendly Linear Infrastructure (IGELI)” initiated at the ICOET 2015 conference in North Carolina, USA. IGELI was an international debate with experts from all over the world continued during workshops held at the international conferences of IENE (Lyon, France, 2016 and Eindhoven, Holland, 2018), ICOET (Salt Lake City, USA, 2017 and Sacramento, USA, 2019), IUCN (Hawaii, USA, 2016) and ACLIE (Kruger National Park, South Africa, 2019). Summarising the Decision 14/3 on mainstreaming of biodiversity in the energy and mining, infrastructure, manufacturing, and processing sectors (CBD/ COP/DEC/14/3/30 November 2018) of 14th COP CBD (Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, Nov 2018) (Convention on Biological Diversity 2018), the international coalition of the working group, initiated to promote the Strategy at the CBD COP 15 in China. We hope, this Strategy provides a useful tool and roadmap for promoting the urgent need of supporting biodiversity conservation and securing ecological connectivity at all scales of governance, policies, planning and implementation of transport projects internationally. The creation of an International Observatory for monitoring the fragmentation status globally as an important threat for biodiversity loss is proposed as a common ambition of the working group members and their organizations.IENE, ICOET, ANET, ACLIE, WWF, IUCN, WWF, WCPA, Connectivity Conservation Specialist Grou

The Swiss defragmentation program–reconnecting wildlife corridors between the Alps and Jura: an overview

Switzerland has one of the densest infrastructure networks of Europe (3-4 km/km2 on the Central Plateau). Fragmentation of natural habitats has become a major conservation concern as vulnerable species become rarer and the red list of endangered species becomes longer. The mortality of animals on roads remains high, with more than 8,000 roe deer killed yearly by traffic. Many amphibian spawn sites along lakeshore have been cut off from their wintering grounds by roads, with populations then disappearing. Highways have proven to be an impassable barrier for the lynx, impeding colonization of eastern Switzerland. Switzerland participated actively in the COST 341 European research program “Habitat fragmentation due to transportation infrastructure.” A census of bottlenecks where infrastructure intercepts important wildlife corridors was carried out during this program. Fifty-one points needing restoration measures were identified. Many of these are along firstgeneration highways built along an east-west axis and cutting off any possible exchange between wildlife populations in the Alps and the Jura. A ministerial guideline sealed a partnership between the Swiss Agency for Environment, Forests, and Landscape (SAEFL) and the Swiss Federal Roads Authority. The defragmentation program has been included in the highway-maintenance program and is to take place over the next 20 years. Five conflict points have been recently retrofitted in the context of highway-widening schemes. A program methodology is being developed. Conflict points will be addressed as the involved highway section comes up for maintenance. In order to facilitate long-term planning, different instruments have been developed. Standards have been defined by the Swiss Association of Road and Transportation Experts (VSS 2004) to guide engineers and biologists in the analysis of existing structures and potential permeability for fauna. Criteria were developed to facilitate the choice of the optimal type of passage for each given situation. Further research and standards are being launched to homogenize monitoring programs and develop best practice for retrofitting culverts, as well as to anticipate and eliminate wildlife traps created by certain structures

Developing Fauna-Friendly Transport Structures: Analysis of the Impact of Specific Road Engineering Structures on Wildlife Mortality and Mobility

The barrier effect of roads is now well documented and solutions such as fauna passages are readily imple¬mented (Trocmé et al. 2002). Less well known is the mortality caused by specific engineering structures used along roads, such as drainage systems. This research focuses on censusing wildlife hazards caused by such structures and developing solutions. Structures such as drainage systems, kerbs, gullies, culverts, noise barriers, lighting, retaining walls, were all examined. Small fauna specialists and maintenance teams were interviewed to gather information on known impacts as well as solutions found. Wildlife hazards were identified. Drainage systems with gullies often provoke high mortality for amphibians and other small fauna. Other structures such as retaining walls increase fragmentation by creating complete barriers. Designs more permeable to wildlife need to be enhanced. Certain solutions such as escape ramps from drainage systems have been tested on a local scale.After identifying the problematic structures an analysis of Swiss road standards was made underlining which ones needed to be completed or modified so as to limit the impact of transport structures on wildlife. Further studies will be necessary so as to develop standardised solutions taking into account wildlife, maintenance and safety issues

Developing Fauna-Friendly Transport Structures: Analysis of the Impact of Specific Road Engineering Structures on Wildlife Mortality and Mobility

The barrier effect of roads is now well documented and solutions such as fauna passages are readily imple¬mented (Trocmé et al. 2002). Less well known is the mortality caused by specific engineering structures used along roads, such as drainage systems. This research focuses on censusing wildlife hazards caused by such structures and developing solutions. Structures such as drainage systems, kerbs, gullies, culverts, noise barriers, lighting, retaining walls, were all examined. Small fauna specialists and maintenance teams were interviewed to gather information on known impacts as well as solutions found. Wildlife hazards were identified. Drainage systems with gullies often provoke high mortality for amphibians and other small fauna. Other structures such as retaining walls increase fragmentation by creating complete barriers. Designs more permeable to wildlife need to be enhanced. Certain solutions such as escape ramps from drainage systems have been tested on a local scale.After identifying the problematic structures an analysis of Swiss road standards was made underlining which ones needed to be completed or modified so as to limit the impact of transport structures on wildlife. Further studies will be necessary so as to develop standardised solutions taking into account wildlife, maintenance and safety issues

Echantillonage des systèmes de traitement des eaux de chaussée ::méthodologie

Ce document a pour objectif de présenter les bonnes pratiques de mise en place d’un suivi de la qualité des eaux de chaussée, du choix des instruments de mesure, en passant par l’installation des instruments in situ, jusqu’au calcul des incertitudes des valeurs recherchées